Filed under: School Projects | Tags: food, growing stuff, lima beans, science class
One of my earliest childhood memories involves a “science experiment” carried out by just about every kindergarten student in the United States and Canada – and probably whatever other countries out there have a kindergarten full of kindergartners. The experiment was simple; we were all given a dry lima bean and then given very specific instructions on how to grow it. At the conclusion of four weeks the student with the tallest lima bean plant would awarded the winner and entitled to a free pizza outing for him and a friend.
The first step involved prepping the seed for planting and was as simple as keeping the seed firmly centered with a couple layers of damp paper towel. After a couple days, and once and if the seed had begun to sprout, we would plant it in our tiny, school provided pots complete with fresh soil and plant food solution.
We would water the plants two to three times a day depending on how dry the conditions were. At the end of four weeks, while I didn’t come in first place, I also didn’t come in last and I learned how much fun it is to grow your own veggies (as well as coming out with my own lima bean plant I was able to transplant to my parent’s backyard) which is a habit I have carried into my adulthood. Currently, I have a small veggie garden in my backyard….and all thanks to a kindergarten science project.
I just recently watched a documentary on the weed production business in British Columbia, and it had an interesting amount of commentary on the hemp ban that has been in place in the United States for years now. I had no idea that hemp had so many uses, from industry to clothing to food production. I also was unaware that hemp has absolutely no chance of getting you high! Given the evidence, what possible reason could the United States government still have for the ban of hemp growing? If it has so many uses and cannot be used to get people high, why is it lumped in with marijuana as some sort of controlled substance?
It can be used for clothing, nutritional products, extremely strong cordage, and also can be used to strengthen building materials. I have been looking online to find uses for hemp and the websites are endless. The stuff seems like the most versatile plant ever! Every single industrialized nation on earth cultivates and uses hemp, excepting the United States. That is completely absurd that we will have a nonsensical ban on the books when literally the rest of the world is using the product. We even import hemp for industrial use;, we just do not grow it!
The documentary I mentioned I watched had high hopes that this ridiculous policy would be reversed in the coming years, but it seems that hemp is lumped in with marijuana to most of the public in the United States. The street interviews they had with people in the United States were tragic; the people were all completely misinformed. It was sad to see so many people that were unaware of what exactly went into our anti-drug policy that greatly affects our farming policy. I hope to see a reversal on the hemp ban in the near future, but I will not hold my breath.
Filed under: Herb Gardens | Tags: Argentina, gardens, herbs, plants, window gardens
I have always been interested in nature, and the taming of it that goes on in places like personal gardens, parks, and botanical gardens. There is something really interesting about sculpting plants to your will, making symmetry and form out of an innately chaotic medium. I especially like the wildly colorful and extremely difficult to grow plants, such as orchids and tulips. It is like you have to sacrifice quite a bit in order to reap the benefits of their beauty. We had a peach tree in the backyard of our house when I was growing up, and I used to love to watch the progress of the peaches as they grew throughout the spring and summer. They were never good enough to eat, but I enjoyed watching their progress all the same. Nowadays I live in an apartment and do not have the space needed for a real garden, but I try to make do with what space I can spare.
I grow herbs on the window of my kitchen, and also have started experimenting with different vegetables on my balcony. I hope to be able to grow some tiny tomatoes for salads soon, since fresh ones are in short supply here for some reason. You can get very fresh produce in Buenos Aires, but certain things you just have to bite the bullet on and grow yourself.
Right now my meals are thanking me for my experiments with mint, cilantro, and a couple of different chili peppers that the Argentines seem to hate so much. Herbs are easy to grow because they generally come already growing in their own miniature cartons, and require just a bit of water and steady sunlight. Anyone can handle that type of work!
If you are interested in growing sweet corn, then the following tips can serve your purpose:
You would have to pay attention that the corn planted by you has no chance of getting frost on it. You can plant it in full sunlight. This is important as corn requires proper sunlight for its growth. A minimum of eight hours of sunlight a day would be needed by it. The soil used for your corn should be well drained. Failure to do so can cause the rotting of the corn. Ideally the pH of the soil should have a value of 6.0-6.5. In case the pH of the soil is low, you can add limestone to it.
Try to plant corn in the months of May or June. You can cover your corn by using polyethylene. This will be useful in making the soil warm as well as help in the germination process of corn. If you are growing different types of corn, remember to keep a distance of at least 300 meters in between two different varieties of corn.
Keep a distance of one foot between same types of corn seeds and plant them to a depth of one inch. Finally don’t forget to water your corn crop regularly so that you get a healthy crop of sweet corn for your use.
Here are ten tips for gardening to help you grow stuff better if you are going to grow a backyard garden:
Learn well- The first important tip is to learn the basics well. Take your time and start small.
Right Place-It’s important to choose a right location for your garden. You should be able to view your garden from your house.
Healthy soil- Soil is the most important factor. If you have good healthy and fertile soil your plants will also be healthy.
Water Supply – Ensure that there would be adequate water supply to give your plants.
Plant Selection: You can grow a wide variety of plants. It’s wise to select the vegetables and fruits which you will use depending on your soil and climate conditions.
Start with seeds – It’s better to start with good quality seeds than small plants. They are cost effective too.
Avoid Cheap Gardening Tools- Invest in good quality gardening tools as they will not break easily.
Go Organic-Whatever you grow in your garden if it is organically grown its best. The best way is by improving the quality of your soil by adding well composted organic matter.
Home pest Control Remedies – Avoid using pesticides. There are many home remedies for controlling pests.
Plant Throughout – You have different plants that can be grown in different seasons. With proper planning your garden will be green throughout the year.
Nature has given us everything to enjoy our stay on this mother earth. Earth is called the mother because she is a giver. Reusable stuff is what nature is all about. Plants, fruits, vegetables and flowers grow and die without leaving residue. Today it is a fad to have organic foods, organic gardens and so on. Man made chemicals are harmful to the soil, and the fruits or vegetables grown on them. Harmful pesticides sprayed on the fruits may keep the birds away from pecking at them but is lethal for humans to eat those pesticide smeared fruits.
The best way to grow plants is use the method of organic gardening. One of the most important secrets in organic gardening is tending to the soil. Soil is the main key to growth. If soil is rich in manure then anything which grows in it will be rich and abundant. When chemicals are added to the soil the soil looses its fertility after a while. Natural ways to tend soil is to allow some insects like earthworms to be present in the soil. These worms while moving around ‘till’ the soil that allows air to enter beneath and allow the soil to remain fertile.
Adding dead leaves, grass and plant material will enhance the richness of the soil. This is called mulching. Manure that is rich in soil nutrients is cow dung. It is widely used in agriculture. Nature balances itself beautifully. It is our duty to keep nature intact so that it can help us to lead a healthy and joyful life on this planet earth.
Filed under: gardening
Just as you take trouble in building a new home you need to spend considerable amount of time on your garden also. A garden is a place where you can relax after a hard days work. It is a sanctuary for kids on weekends where they can run around and be one with nature. In our country four months are spent indoors during winter due to snow. So enjoying the luxury of a garden is relegated to spring and summer months. If you have flowering plants in your garden then you can see the myriad colors of nature and how exquisite they can be. The fragrance of flowers emanate into the house if your doors are open. The lush green grass, variety of flowers, a pond and winding pathway all add up to make your garden a beautiful place to spend your time with your loved ones.
If you are a senior citizen then it is all the more necessary for you to take up gardening as a pass time. The weeding and cutting grass helps you to be active and brisk. When you see the plants growing and flowers blooming in your garden you will feel a sense of satisfaction. So put on your gardening gloves and start preparing your garden.
